Armenia To Send Troops To Iraq

[Armat]

I am disappointed that Armenia sends troops under polish command or flag whatever. It reminds me of Armenian athletes winning gold medals for other countries. It seems our slave mentality weather under Russian domination or west is still intact. I can understand the complementary politics at play but still where is our nationhood!

 

RIA OREANDA

Economic Press Review

 

September 8, 2004 Wednesday

 

Armenia to Send Troops to Iraq

 

Yerevan. Appeared in Russian in Moscow's NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA

[independent gazette]. Armenia is the second CIS country after

Ukraine to deploy its troops in Iraq. Armenian peacekeepers will

serve as part of the coalition forced under the command of Poland.

President Robert Kocharian of Armenia and Aleksandr Kwasniewski of

Poland reached an agreement to this effect during Pres. Kocharian's

visit to Poland. Fifty servicemen of the Armenia contingent will be

sent to Iraq as part of a cooperation agreement between Armenia and

Poland, which the presidents signed in Warsaw. Armenia's Defense

Minister Serge Sarkisian, who accompanied Pres. Kocharian during his

visit to Poland, told journalists that the government decided to send

troops to Iraq, because "despite of its size and remoteness from

Europe, Armenia feels that it is a part of Europe."

Edited September 10, 2004 by Armat

[Sasun]

Let's wish them quick and safe return.

[Armen]

Armat, the whole world is on its knees paying trubute to the empire. Why should Armenia be different?

 

I join Sasun's whishes!

[Armat]

Polish Empire? Edited September 10, 2004 by Armat

[Armen]

Well Poland pays more trubute than Armenia. And they began paying long ago. So they are already leutenants in this business. If we pay orderly we may receieve our rank in the nearest future.

[gamavor]

I just wonder how many of the US Congressmen and Senators have sent their sons and daughters to Iraq, to serve their nation in this very patriotic war.

It maybe because of my ignorance, but why the most powerful country in the world, would need the help of other countries in establishing democracy in the Middle East?

 

Just asking!

[Armen]

DON'T SEND ARMENIAN SOLDIERS TO IRAQ!

 

A1 Plus | 18:47:01 | 13-09-2004 | Politics |

 

"The Armenian Authorities having no clear foreign political priorities

have undertaken a senseless and perilous step", Democratic Party of

Armenia announced. The decision of the Armenian Authorities to send

a 50-member group of soldiers to Iraq gave cause for this statement.

 

"DPA thinks that such a decision radically runs counter to our national

and state security interests, creates menace for our compatriots

residing in Islamic states, including peaceful existence of the

Armenian Commune of 25.000 in Iraq.

 

DPA condemns the intention of Armenian Authorities to send a military

group to Iraq and calls upon the members of Parliament to reject

approval of the bill through voting", the statement says.

[America-Hye]

This is a very smart move on Armenia's part. It is ingraciating itself with the neo-cons of the Bush Administration and top echelons of US military brass. If those of us who are working very hard to unseat Bush fail, Armenia will have taken one step toward a more balanced approach of the US toward Armenian vs. Turkish interests.

[gamavor]

Amerikanski...You will be more useful if you make comments about weather forecast.

[Armen]

Armenian opposition party condemns decision to send troops to Iraq

 

Noyan Tapan news agency

13 Sep 04

 

Yerevan, 13 September: The Armenian authorities' decision to send a

50-strong Armenian military unit to Iraq under the command of the

Polish military contingent is premature and "simply selfish", the

chairman of the Democratic Party of Armenia and a National Assembly

member from the Justice bloc, Aram Sarkisyan, has said in an interview

with a Noyan Tapan correspondent.

 

He noted that his party roundly condemned this step and called on

National Assembly members to vote down the Armenian authorities'

agreement to send Armenian servicemen to Iraq.

 

"If our powers that be had explained to the USA on time that Armenia

had a unique position with a large diaspora all over the world and

in Arab countries in the first place, I think this would not have

happened. Instead, the Armenian authorities are trying, as they

believe, to win the USA round," Aram Sarkisyan said.

 

In the opinion of the Democratic Party leader, Armenian servicemen

should be dispatched when stability is established and peaceful

reconstruction starts in Iraq. It cannot be ruled out in the current

situation, he believes, that Armenians will be taken hostage, and in

this context, the blast at the major Christian church in Baghdad was

kind of a signal.

 

Aram Sarkisyan expressed his perplexity over the fact that

Armenian servicemen would be stationed in Iraq within the Polish

contingent. "Poland is a NATO member, and our authorities have all

of a sudden forgotten that Armenia is a member of the CIS Collective

Security Treaty Organization. This decision is completely confusing

from the point of view of political culture."

 

The Democratic Party chairman is confident that the decision

to send Armenian servicemen to Iraq runs counter to the national

interests. "While a country like Spain is withdrawing troops from Iraq,

Armenia wants to be swept into this vortex."

 

The Democratic Party has issued a statement condemning this decision

of the Armenian authorities. The statement calls on the Armenian

public to take an active civic position on this issue.

[Armen]

Armenian defence official denies he is unhappy about sending troops to Iraq

 

Mediamax news agency

14 Sep 04

 

Yerevan, 14 September: Armenian Deputy Defence Minister Lt-Gen

Yuriy Khachaturov has made a statement for the media which said the

following, in particular,:

 

"I am flatly against speculations about my words. If you conceive the

words of a person who participated in two wars and his attitude to

war as contradicting the will of the supreme commander-in-chief and

the defence minister, then this is not true. I, Yuriy Khachaturov,

have always been the soldier of this country and have proven this

throughout my military service."

 

Armenian Deputy Defence Minister Lt-Gen Yuriy Khachaturov said

on 7 September that "he was not happy about the idea of sending

Armenian military experts to Iraq". The general stressed that it

was his "personal opinion". The deputy defence minister noted that

"the Armenian servicemen and the Armenian community of Iraq might

face problems".

[Armen]

Armenian parliament to consider deploying 50 troops to Iraq

 

AP Worldstream

Sep 14, 2004

 

The Armenian parliament will soon consider plans to send about 50

troops to Iraq, lawmakers said Tuesday, a move that has raised some

concern in this ex-Soviet republic.

 

Artur Bagdasarian, speaker of the Armenian parliament, said a decision

will only be taken after "serious discussion." He said debate would

begin soon, but did not give an exact date.

 

The Armenian parliament is dominated by pro-government politicians,

making it likely the measure will pass.

 

Armenian President Robert Kocharian pledged the troops during a visit

to Poland last week. The Armenian soldiers _ primarily bomb disposal

experts, doctors and transport teams _ would work under Polish command,

joining roughly 6,500 troops from 16 nations stationed in the Polish

contingent in central Iraq.

 

Armenia has sought to portray the decision to send troops to Iraq as

a way to boost ties with Europe. Critics worry that it will endanger

the 25,000-person Armenian community living in Iraq.

 

Gen. Lt. Yuri Khachaturov, a deputy defense minister, has suggested

that sending troops to Iraq could "lead to problems in Armenian

society and in Armenia as a whole." He insisted Tuesday that his

remarks shouldn't be misinterpreted as opposition to the defense

ministry or senior officials, but rather as the opinion of a person

who has experienced war.

 

The Democratic Party of Armenia, which is part of the opposition

Justice bloc, called on lawmakers to reject the proposal to send

troops, saying it "is against our national interests, the interest

of state security and would create a threat for our countrymen,

especially those living in Muslim nations."

[Bakersfieldian]

What's next?

 

I hope they don't send over our plane.

 

It would be a real shame if we lost it.

[Bakersfieldian]

And what's with sending 50 troops???

 

I've never been to a small Armenian get-together and it end up with less than 50 people there.

 

Anything we do, we usually do big.

 

(even if it's wrong)

 

Whatever they eventually do, I'll pray for their safe return.

Edited September 18, 2004 by Bakersfieldian

[Armen]

And what's with sending 50 troops???

style_images/master/snapback.png

 

You're kiddin' me Bakersfieldian? 50 Armenians!!! That's too many!

 

A joke from "New Armenians" KVN team:

 

Q: How can you distinguish an Armenian in the crowd?

A: Wait for a minute and he will distinguish himself.

Edited September 18, 2004 by ArmenSarg

[Bakersfieldian]

Not to play "One up" on you but now that you mentioned it.......

 

How can 50 Armenians in the same place at once be considered a "Peace Keeping" force?

 

Based upon experience from family get-togethers there is no way you could have peace with that many Armenians there.

 

You're kiddin' me Bakersfieldian? 50 Armenians!!! That's too many!

 

A joke from "New Armenians" KVN team:

 

Q: How can you distinguish an Armenian in the crowd?

A: Wait for a minute and he will distinguish himself.

style_images/master/snapback.png

[Armen]

Not to play "One up" on you but now that you mentioned it.......

 

How can 50 Armenians in the same place at once be considered a "Peace Keeping" force?

 

Based upon experience from family get-togethers there is no way you could have peace with that many Armenians there.

style_images/master/snapback.png

 

The secret is that the commander of that force is going to be a Polish If the commander was an Armenian I would worry as well. Likewise, if the President of Armenia was a Polish we would be a very different (in positive) country.

 

I'm kidding, but there is a truth in that...A leader among Armenians must have a non-Armenian mentality. See the thread about L. Ter-Petrossian. His failure came from the same source.

[CheekY]

I think this would be a stupid thing to do because first we can't afford to lose 50 soldiers and second of all it would be dangerous to us because we're surrounded mainly by muslim countries and other Armenians living in muslim countries. It's not worth sacrificing 50 men just to look good in front of Bush or whoever. (Just my opinion lol)

[Armen]

DISPATCHING ARMENIAN CONTINGENT TO IRAQ POTENTIAL THREAT TO ALL MIDDLE

EAST DIASPORA

 

By David Petrosyan

 

September 20, 2004

 

 

The agreements on dispatching an Armenian military contingent (50

soldiers) to Iraq under the Polish banner reached between Robert

Kocharian and Alexander Kvasnevski in Warsaw was quite a great

surprise for the Armenian elite/counter-elite. Indeed, in response to

the proposal of the allies on the Anti-Iraqi Coalition to send a

military contingent to Iraq the Armenian side used to give uncertain

answers, referring to the presence of a large Armenian Diaspora

(according to some high-colored data of the Armenian Apostolic Church,

close to 500,000 people) in the Islamic countries of the Middle East.

Not without reasons did the Armenian diplomatic circles think that the

Armenian communities of the whole region could become a potential

target for radical Islamic groups once an Armenian military contingent

was sent to Iraq. For this reason official Yerevan used to give to its

overseas partners indefinite promises to consider the issue of sending

a small auxiliary contingent (truck drivers, field engineers, and

doctors) and the quantitative staff of this contingents was changed

all the time. It is quite interesting that the American side treated

this position of Armenia with understanding and avoided exerting

strong political pressure upon Armenia.

 

A natural question arises: what could become a catalyst for such a

quick decision, though it is more than obvious to us that until

recently official Yerevan was consciously postponing the solution of

this issue.

 

Here we'd like to draw the attention of our readers to the

following fact: RA Minister of Defence Serge Sargsian has been eager

to be received by the Pentagon, i.e. to pay an official visit to the

United States since last May. About half a year has passed since this

wish of his was fixed. Hence, one may suppose the higher US military

circles have a different view over meeting with Serge Sargsian. The RA

minister needs this meeting, first of all, to settle a number of

personal problems connected with his own political future. S. Sargsian

is trying to make the Pentagon understand that he is now ready to make

more decisive steps towards the United States and NATO. Serge Sargsian

started speaking of his willingness to make such steps a long time

ago, but today Washington wants concrete steps rather than words. The

dispatch of a small Armenian auxiliary military contingent to Iraq is

quite acceptable as a first concrete political step.

 

As regards President Robert Kocharian, he also found himself

"between a hammer and anvil", i.e. between Moscow and Washington.

Moreover, both the Russians and Americans demand that he should

finally "determine his position". In this connection, the thesis that

Robert Kocharian's political future will be determined in the United

States is becoming more and more obvious. In order to alleviate the

American pressure against himself Robert Kocharian decided to dispatch

Armenian servicemen to Iraq.

 

So, the decision on sending an Armenian military contingent to

Iraq was made by the two de facto top figures of Armenia as this step

serves their personal political interests. According to some

information, this decision was made by Robert Kocharian and Serge

Sargsian with no prior consultation with experts, advisors or the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Besides, judging from the reaction of the

Russian press, the leaders of Armenia held no serious consultation on

this issue with Russia, its strategic ally and major economic partner.

In principle, it turns out that by making the decision to send a

military contingent to Iraq Yerevan ignored last year's joint decision

of the CIS CSTO, which, in fact, condemned the actions of the the

Anti-Iraqi Coalition countries. So, in the eyes of the Kremlin the

current leaders of Armenia are going to take concrete political steps

in order to avoid the sphere of Russia's influence.

 

It is more than obvious to us that in, military terms, the

dispatch of the Armenian auxiliary contingent to Iraq is of no vital

importance. Some Armenian observers and politicians pay attention to

the fact that the place where the the Armenian auxiliary contingent

will be stationed (the sector under Poland's responsibility) isn't a

zone of embittered armed clashes, i.e. the possibility of serious

casualties is quite low for the Armenian auxiliary contingent.

 

Anyway, in our opinion, the representatives of quite a large local

Armenian community rather than the Armenian contingent itself may

become the main target for the Iraqi armed resistance guided by

radical Islamist slogans. Most Armenians live in Baghdad and

Basra. There are some other villages on Iraqi-Turkish border, where

the so-called Kurdish-speaking Armenians live today. The exact number

of the Armenian community members is unknown, but it must be

approximately 20,000 (according to the Armenian Apostolic Church).

According to local estimates, the Armenian community of Iraq was quite

well-to-do and has quite a high intellectual level. Many of its

representatives graduated from the higher educational institutions in

Iraq (most of them received diplomas of doctors and engineers), in the

USSR (including in Armenia) and a number of other countries.

 

During one and a half year's war in Iraq there has been no

information about any special targetted actions of requital against

the Armenians by the variegated Iraqi resistance, though there have

been actions against Christians (explosion of churches).

 

The appearance of an Armenian auxiliary contingent in Iraq will

increase the possibility of such actions sharply regardless of the

fact that the contingent will go there under the flag of Poland. But

the potential threat to the Armenian community in Iraq on part of

different radical military groups is only part of the danger for all

the Armenian people living in the Middle East.

 

We would remind you that the Armenian communities compactly living

in the Middle East are also situated in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey,

Egypt, Jordan, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

 

So, the Armenians, as a Chiristian people, may immediately become

a target for different types of numerous radical Islamic groups of the

entire Middle East, and the appearance of the Armenian military

contingent under the Polish flag in Iraq may become a reason for

attacks.

 

Indeed, the radical Islamic groups will hardly be interested in

what function the Armenian servicemen will perform in Iraq. In their

eyes they will be people supporting those who struggle against Muslims

and nothing else. There will be no need to go to Europe or cross the

Atlantic in order to punish the new enemy bearing a cross on his

breast. The Armenians are near, they live in the neighboring yard or

neighboring district. It is enough for several mullahs to suggest this

seditious idea to radicals at one of the Friday prayers in any country

of the region.

 

A natural question arises: and what about the governments of the

countries of the Middle East where Armenians live? Shouldn't they

defend their citizens?

 

We suppose that such states as Iran, Lebanon and others will

undertake serious measures to ensure the security of their Armenian

citizens. But the events may turn into such an uncontrollable mess

that the protective measures undertaken by the authorities will prove

ineffective at some stage. Casualties are possible in this case and

we are not going to predict their number. Casualties may also be among

those who will participate in the possible actions of violence against

the Armenians. That will increase the tension still more and will give

radicals excellent trump cards against the governments of the

countries undertaking measures for the security of their Armenian

citizens.

 

Other quite serious consequences are also possible. It is known

that the Islamic Conference Organization usually mentions the Artsax

conflict in the final resolutions adopted at its summits presenting

Armenia as an agressor country, which occupies part of the territories

of Muslim Azerbaijan. These resolutions are approved regularly, but

there have been no serious hostile operations by the Islamic states of

the Middle East against the Armenians and Armenia based on these

resolutions so far. This is mostly accounted for by the fact that the

overwhelming majority of the Arab countries and Iran, which has

traditionally had good and even partner relations with Armenia, in

fact, sabotage the fulfillment of these resolutions. But the

appearance of the Armenian auxiliary military contingent in Iraq may

become an essential political trump card for some concrete steps

against Armenia in connection with Nagorno Artsax for such

member-countries of the Islamic Conference Organization as Pakistan

(as of today, it is the only Islamic country having nuclear weapons)

and Turkey. The question is: how much do Armenia, Nagorno Artsax and

the Armenian nation need it?

 

It is well known that the final decision about the dispatch of the

auxiliary military contingent will be made only after the National

Assembly of Armenia gives its consent to this step. The opposition has

boycotted the work of the parliament and it is quite obvious that this

decision will be made without its participation. And the Armenian

opposition has formed no exact position over the issue yet. Anyway,

some MPs of the parties of the "Ardarutyun" ("Justice") bloc (Aram

G. Sargsian and Grigor Harutiunian) have already expressed a negative

opinion.

 

Quite another matter is the position of the parties of the ruling

coalition. There is still no exactness here either. Mher Shahgeldian,

one of the leaders of "Orinats Yerkir" ("Country of Law") party,

Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Defence and National

Security, unconditionally supported the actions of the RA President

and the RA Minister of Defence. Galust Sahakian, leader of the

Republicans, expressed a view that Armenia shouldn't interfere in any

actions that "contain possible threat". According to G. Sahakian,

Armenia will not undertake steps that will cause damage to the

Armenian communities. By the way, it is known that this political

figure may change his position at any moment and "substantiate" its

change.

 

But, the position of ARF Dashnaktsutiun, a traditional Armenian

party, in our opinion, should become a central one. It is the

Dashnaktsutiun that controls the mood of the overwhelming majority of

the Armenian communities of the Middle East and that's why it pretends

to be the representative of the interests of this part of the

Diaspora. The position of MP Armen Rustamian, the representative of

the Executive Council of ARF Dashnaktsutiun, was on the whole negative.

But Hrair Karapetian, an MP from the same party, didn't exclude that

the leaders may have cogent arguments and will be able to persuade

members of Dashnaktsutiun to approve of such a decision. It is evident

from his words that the President has a chance to obtain the consent

of Dashnaktsutiun to sending the Armenian servicemen to Iraq with the

support of certain "cogent arguments".

 

As of today, the position of the leadership of the Ramkavar

Azatakan Party, another Armenian influential traditional party, is

also indefinite. The party isn't represented in the Armenian

Parliament, but it has a MP in the Lebanese Parliament (Hakob

Kassarjian). Thus, the party still has some time (not too much) to

clarify its position.

 

There is no definition in the position of the "Hunchak" third

Armenian traditional Social-Democratic party either, which is not

represented in the Armenian parliament, but has an MP in the Lebanese

Parliament too and represents the interests of a number of Armenian

communities in the Middle East (for example, the communities of

Damascus). One may only suppose that the position of the Armenian

"Hunchaks" over this issue won't differ from that of the Justice bloc

(the party is still a member of the bloc).

 

In reality, Armenia may face serious threats to the security and

life of the Armenian communities in the Middle East once it sends a

military contingent to Iraq. Not only the country's President and the

parties of the parliamentary majority but also the traditional

Armenian parties representing the Diaspora will bear the

responsibility for the consequences of such a short-sighted step. But

paradoxical is the fact that today the potential threat to the

security and life of the Diasporan Armenians of the Middle East comes

from Armenia itself. And it is the President, whose legality is put in

doubt, that served as a source of the threat by making a political

decision potentially dangerous for his compatriots. The Parliament can

correct this mistake.

 

But the strangest thing in this story is the fact that RA Minister

of Defence Serge Sargsian, stating about his readiness to sent

Armenian servicemen to Iraq, made people believe that Armenia does

this to show that it is part of Europe. Serge Sargsian has forgotten

his last year's post-election speech stating that the Armenian

mentality has nothing in common with that of the same Europe. Besides,

official Yerevan, as well as the electronic mass media controlled by

it keep silent over the important circumstance that political Europe

has split up over the issue of participation in the military

operations in Iraq. If we follow the logic of the Minister of Defence

of Armenia, it turns out that France, German, Belgium, the countries

of Northern Europe or Spain (calling off its contingent from Iraq) are

not part of Europe.

 

 

"The Noyan Tapan Highlights" N37, September, 2004

[Accelerated]

This is a very smart move on Armenia's part. It is ingraciating itself with the neo-cons of the Bush Administration and top echelons of US military brass.

 

Yeah!?! America isnt going to be a presence in the region indefinetelly, just like the neo-cons wont be in power forever. wtf are we going to do when they leave and we have a bunch of fuming muslims on our doorstep?

[Armat]

After watching another beheading! Another kidnapping who with the right judgment can send any troops from any country to Iraq which at the present is in a violent orgy covered with blood and back to stone age fighting about Sunni, shite crap,the western imperialism and the whole stinking archaic mindset.

I argued repeatedly on this forum that Iraqis were neither ready for freedom nor ready now or ever will be. You can't force a democracy. People have to want it!

[gamavor]

Armenia doesn't intend to join NATO but will deepen relations

 

9-22-04

 

Yerevan. (Interfax) - Armenia intends to deepen relations with NATO but has no plans of joining the alliance, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian told a Wednesday news conference.

 

"Our stance amounts to the maximum expansion and deepening of relations with the alliance. I don't know what NATO thinks of it but membership in the alliance is not on our agenda today," he said.

 

As for Armenia's plans for sending a group of 50 servicemen to Iraq, Oskanian said that it would be a humanitarian mission consisting of doctors, drivers and sappers.

 

He emphasized that from the very start Armenia was opposed to military presence in Iraq.

 

 

http://www.interfax.com/com?item=Arm&pg=0&id=5756951&req=

 

 

Armenia is sending doctors, drivers and sappers not drunk rednecks and useless gabiks!

[Dave]

Armenian prime minister hints Armenia may not send troops to Iraq as pledged

By Associated Press, 10/15/2004 19:27

 

 

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) Armenia's prime minister suggested Friday the Caucasus country might not send troops to Iraq, saying conditions there have changed since they were promised.

 

Prime Minister Andranik Markarian stressed that it was up to the Constitutional Court and the parliament to make the decision on sending the troops even though Armenia's president pledged the troops during a visit to Poland last month.

 

The 50 troops Armenia is considering sending bomb disposal experts, doctors and transport teams would work under Polish command in Iraq. Poland commands a multinational security force in central Iraq of about 6,000 troops, including more than 2,400 Polish soldiers.

 

''Let's not forget that ... there have been certain changes from the conditions under which we gave preliminary approval,'' Makarian said,

 

Armenia, a former Soviet republic has sought to portray the decision to send troops to Iraq as a way to boost ties with Europe, but critics worry that it will endanger the 25,000-person Armenian community living in Iraq.

 

''We also have concerns on this count. It's possible that as a result Armenia could become of the targets of terrorists,'' Markarian said.

 

Of the 12 former Soviet republics in the Commonwealth of Independent States, four Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Georgia have sent troops to Iraq. The Commonwealth is a loose successor to the Soviet Union.

 

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/289/world/...r_hints_:.shtml

 

I think this is good news, because the lives of the Armenians of Iraq will not be in danger... What do you think?

Edited October 16, 2004 by Dave

[Boghos]

I think this is excellent news. Armenia should keep out of this kind of unnecessary entanglements.

It is clear that the US has been pressuring any number of countries to legitimize the "coalition" in Irak, for us it is just too costly, even though I am naturally not privy to the give and take that was surely involved in having accpeted this dangerous proposition.

[spectra]

Armenia to send troops to Iraq

 

Contingent will do non-combat jobs

 

By Avet Demourian , Associated Press

 

Armenia's parliament voted Friday to send 46 non-combat troops to Iraq, a move that was backed by President Robert Kocharian but drew sharp criticism from many Armenians and opposition groups.

 

You can read more at Pasadena Star News (http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206%257E24533%257E2617831,00.html)